Louis Riddick Reveals the “Weak Link” of San Francisco 49ers While Saving Brock Purdy From Disrespect

Brock Purdy has been phenomenal this season. Despite an average performance in the first half of the Divisional Round matchup against the Packers, his touchdown drive in the fourth quarter ended up taking him and the Niners to the NFC Championship for the second consecutive time. However, instead of getting his due credit, Mr. Irrelevant continues to get disrespected and even labeled as the 49ers’ “weakest link” in the otherwise star-studded team.

Former NFL safety turned broadcaster Louis Riddick recently shared his thoughts on this and dismissed the notion of labeling Purdy as the so-called ‘weak link’, even considering it a ridiculous statement. Riddick expressed how people always look for scapegoats and someone to blame when things are not going efficiently, and Purdy has become the easy target despite showing how efficient he has been this season. He said,

“We are crossing into the realm where I got to blame somebody, I got to put somebody down, I got to talk cr*p about somebody. The guy is having a historic season. He is as efficient as they come,” followed by, “Ask Kyle Shanahan whether or not, he thinks that he’s the weak link of his football team.”

Reddick also pointed out the actual weak links that affected the 49ers’ performance this season. In his view, the right side of the 49ers Offensive Line looks a bit shaky, especially Colton McKivitz. He also noted how the Faithful should keep an eye on McKivitz when they go against the Lion’s Aiden Hutchinson. So, it’s safe to say that people are getting frustrated and sick of Purdy’s slander and are ready to defend him against all those naysayers.

Brock Purdy Finds Defenders All Around

The Niners QB has thrown for 4280 yards along with 31 touchdown passes this season while giving away only 11 picks. Moreover, he led the league in passer rating, QBR, and yards gained per attempt during the regular season. Despite this, he continues to face slander and hate. Last week it was Amy Trask — this week it’s Ryan Clark — and next week it will be someone else.

With people saying all kinds of things against the NFL star, a few pundits have voiced their support for Purdy. And one of them is Pat McAfee, who is done with Brock Purdy’s slander. On a recent episode of the Pat McAfee show, the former punter expressed that whenever the 49ers QB has less than a perfect game, it gives people ammunition to criticize him. He also applauded Purdy, who was drafted last and is still killing it on the field, leading the Niners to the NFC Championship two times in his second year.

Being Mr. Irrelevant, Purdy wasn’t handed anything. He wasn’t expecting any favors, and all he wanted to do was make the practice squad. But now with him as their QB, the 49ers boast a 20-5 record and an average of 29.2 points per game. During the regular season, he was mostly in the Top 10 in the league in yards per attempt, yards per completion, first down per attempt, passer rating, total EPA success rate, and total QBR.

Despite leading the league in all these crucial metrics, he continues to be labeled as a checkdown king and a system quarterback. McAfee doesn’t understand where all the slander is coming from, and he is sick of it. He said,

“I did not think or expect myself to ever take a stand for a man named Brock Purdy in my entire life. The guy is Iowa State and is a QB for the 49ers. That’s so far left on the map. I would never pay attention to that. But I am tired of that. This guy is only in his 2nd year. He’s only going to get better. He was the last guy on the draft. He was not expecting anything. He was just hoping to make the team. Now in his 2nd year with back-to-back NFC championships and leading the league. I am sick of it and I can’t take it anymore. I don’t understand it.”

Purdy might have done it against the 7th-seeded Packers, but that average performance won’t get the Niners where they want when they face the Lions this Sunday. The Silver Crush boasts one of the most dynamic offenses in the league and could capitalize on the 49ers’ defense, which, despite making two crucial plays to shift the momentum, struggled to stop the Packers’ run game.

History may not have been on the Lions’ side for decades, but they are on an unstoppable run, and it shows. However, they will have to travel to Levi’s Stadium, where their opponents already hold a 7-point home favorite, as per BetMGM. The odds also favor the Niners at -300 on the money line, while the Lions are at +240.

Purdy may not be the weakest link on Kyle Shanahan’s team, but he had an average performance last week. He will need to perform better against the Detroit side, which has shown significant defensive improvement in recent weeks.